Creating further confusion and uncertainty in the hemp derived cannabidiol (CBD) markets, the FDA has determined that the existing regulatory frameworks for food and supplements are not appropriate for CBD. The FDA cited various safety concerns as the impetuous in making this determination.

FDA has concluded that a new regulatory pathway for CBD is

A split First Circuit panel affirmed yesterday that the US Constitution’s dormant commerce clause applies to the federally illegal medical marijuana industry and that a Maine law mandating local ownership of cannabis businesses was struck down.

What does this mean?

Since Colorado became the first state to regulate medical cannabis, there has always been a

The 2019 Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act provided the authority for the Illinois Department of Agriculture (the “IDOA”) and the Illinois Department of Financing and Professional Regulation (the “IDFPR”) to issue additional adult-use craft grower, infuser, transporter, and dispensary licenses. Each Department developed an application process for each license type to be graded by a third-party contractor. KPMG was awarded the contract to score the license applications. The award of several categories of licenses has been inhibited by a number of lawsuits. We have provided a brief summary of the status of each license category and the corresponding litigation below.

Husch Blackwell has launched its Psychedelics and Emerging Therapies team, an interdisciplinary, cross-office group of lawyers capable of addressing the challenges faced by innovators that seek to research, develop and commercialize novel therapies based on psychedelic drugs. Many of these drugs are regulated by a patchwork of state and federal laws regulating Schedule I controlled substances.

The Husch Blackwell Cannabis team has released episode two of their podcast, The Grass is Greener: Cannabis Law News. In this episode, cannabis attorneys Marshall Custer and Alyssa Samuel dive into ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) and what it means for the cannabis industry, specifically the regulated marijuana industry. They explore what it means to take

Husch Blackwell’s Cannabis Group is thrilled to announce their expanded presence in the Northeast. This expansion into Boston coincides with a strong year for the cannabis team. In June 2021, Chambers USA cited the team’s cross-disciplinary approach that utilizes its well-established base in regulatory compliance to advise on a range of transactions and business structuring

Key Takeaways:

  • The recently released IPCC Report shows irreversible harm to the global ecosystem.
  • Fund managers focused on ESG criteria will have an increased focus on environmentally conscious companies and substantial sums of investment dollars will likely flow into companies that commit to more aggressive ESG plans.
  • Cannabis companies could benefit from looking at how industries like the wine industry have embraced sustainability.
  • In an industry where competition for capital is fierce, adopting ESG principles is an effective way for cannabis companies to not only foster good will, but to foster investment.

On Monday, August 9, 2021 the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sixth Assessment Report (the “IPCC report”) sent shock waves through the financial markets and the world in general. This report, the most comprehensive of its nature released since 2013, made it abundantly clear that much of the damage incurred by the global ecosystem will be irreversible and the harm is accelerating at an alarming rate. This has catalyzed investment funds and asset managers focusing on ESG investments to rethink their approach. According to Bloomberg Law, Chris Meyer of Praxis Mutual Funds, a well established socially responsible investment firm stated that the report “…changes the calculus. We will need to have a sharper focus. This report shows that investors are not moving quickly enough.”  Financial investment itself may not be able to curb the problem, however, what is certain is that fund managers focused on ESG criteria will have an increased focus on environmentally conscious companies and substantial sums of investment dollars will likely flow into companies that commit to more aggressive ESG plans.